_They Grapple._
Almaville is asleep, watched by the quiet moon, now about to disappear,
and the far off silent stars.
Upon the bridge from which hundreds had seen little Henry Crump driven
to his death; where the majesty of the law had been trampled under foot
in the murder and mutilation of Dave Harper--upon this bridge now stood
Ensal awaiting the coming of Earl who had to pass that way to reach the
place of rendezvous agreed upon by himself and followers.
At about one o'clock Ensal, standing in the shadow of the framework of
the bridge, saw Earl walking rapidly in his direction. As the latter was
about to pass, Ensal laid a hand firmly upon his shoulder.
Earl looked around quickly to learn the meaning of the firm grasp and
recognized him. There was a look of determination in Ensal's eye that
caused Earl to feel that important developments were sure to follow.
"Earl, my friend, you shall not commit this blunder," said Ensal.
"Blood must be shed at some time and it might as well be shed now as at
any other time," said Earl, staring Ensal in the face as though he might
have reference to his (Ensal's) blood.
Ensal's grasp tightened, and he said, "I tell you frankly, Earl, you
will have to disable me before you get to that crowd to-night."
"Turn me loose," said Earl, in a quiet, determined, yet kindly tone.
"Ensal, you and I have been friends all of our lives. We sat in school
together and hunted birds' nests in the woods side by side. I have
sought your counsel from time to time and you have served as a check to
me in many instances. But my mind is fully made up now, and it will not
pay for even such a friend as you are to stand in my way. I warn you,
beware!"
Ensal decided that it was time to act. He quickly pinioned Earl and
backed him up against the iron railing. He had just heard the city clock
strike one and felt that he could hold Earl in his grasp for one hour,
at which time a policeman would come along, whereupon he could deliver
Earl over to the officer. With Earl out of the way he felt that he could
get around and dissipate the forces that he had organized.
Earl remembered that in Ensal's earlier days, he had suffered a fracture
of his left arm, and in his struggling Earl now weighed heavily on that
arm which began to weaken. Ensal soon saw that he was not going to be
able to pinion Earl for the hour to intervene before the coming of the
officer. So deciding, he concluded to stake all on a fall. He felt that
if he could get Earl down and get the famous neck hold, which they had
practiced so much in their youth, he could succeed in holding him in
that way.
To and fro the two men swayed, each man feeling that the welfare of
millions depended upon the outcome of this duel of the muscles.
At last Ensal gained an advantage and Earl was thrown. Earl pretended to
be making violent efforts to hurl Ensal off of himself, but this was
merely a feint. By skillful maneuvering unknown to Ensal he got hold of
his pistol and sought to so aim it that he could shoot Ensal through the
heart. Concluding that he now had the pistol at the right angle, he
pulled the trigger. The trembling condition of his hand could not insure
a steady aim and the pistol falling down sent the bullet crashing into
his own side. Ensal leaped up, but Earl lay motionless upon the bridge.
It was now only a few moments before the policeman was due at that point
and Ensal was in a quandary as to what to do. He was not long in doubt,
however. Lifting the wounded man, he half dragged and half carried him
to one end of the bridge where there were steps leading down to the
river. He disappeared down the steps and hid under the bridge just in
time to escape the eyes of the officer.
[Illustration: "To and fro the two men swayed, each man feeling that the
welfare of millions depended upon the outcome of this duel
of the muscles."
(164-165.)]
Ensal did what he could to staunch the flow of blood. He then tried to
think. He did not care to expose Earl to the fury of a white mob by
revealing the conspiracy. He preferred to heal the racial sore himself
without calling a doctor, whose remedy might be worse than the disease.
But if he kept Earl's illness secret and Earl died, he was himself
liable to be arrested on the charge of murder. He concluded, however, to
take the risk of handling the matter himself. He would have Earl nursed
back to health and then demand that he leave Almaville on the ground
that he was an unsafe leader for the people under existing conditions.
He now felt the need of a confederate and his mind ran to Tiara, who was
yet living in practical seclusion.
"By the way," said he to himself, "she lives near the river."
Taking possession of a boat which he found moored near by, Ensal put
Earl into it and rowed until he was opposite Tiara's house. After
considerable effort he succeeded in arousing the inmates.
Tiara attired herself and came out upon the back porch and listened to
Ensal's story. She dared not look him in the face too often. Her eyes
told too plainly of her suppressed love.
As humble as was Ensal's opinion of himself he was compelled to admit
that the net result of this short interview was a decided conviction
that Tiara was not altogether indifferent to him, that he held no mean
place in her regard. But he was the more mystified as to why she had so
persistently refused to allow him to call.
But all this is aside. Tiara accepted charge of Earl and in her faithful
hands we leave him for the present.